The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-06-27
France Enters Protest Against Ratifi-
cation of the Anglo-Turkish Treaty.
Irish Measures To Be Pushed Through the En-.
glish Commons with All Possible Speed
Terrible Scenes at Fire in London.


A Move Indicating Papal Distrust of the
Church Leaders In Ireland.
LONDON, June 25.-The mission of Mgr Per-
sico. the Pope's special commissioner to Ireland
will be watched with the most intense interest
in political circles. Reports credited by
English Catholics that the Pope sends Msr.
Persico preparatory to taking decisive measures
to restore the control of the Vatican over Irish
bishops who have been taking the initiative and
committing the church TO definite lines of policy
without consulting the authorizes at the Vatican.
The latest manifesto of Maynooth College to the
bishops appears to have been designed to fore
stall the diplomacy of Mgr. Persco by commit
ting the prelates to the policy of the Natio nalist
party beyond recall.
The Tablet, commenting the difficulty of
Mgr. Persicos mission, refers to his success in
other diplomatic transactions in England. Can
ada and the Southern States of America and
declares that the Pope selected him a repre-
sentative of the Vatican who was entirely free
from Nationalist prejudices while still having
special sympathy with the Catholic people of
Ireland. The Catholics of Ireland, who natur-
ally ask what need there is for special envoy
to inquire into the condition of Ireland. quite as
naturally associate the presence of Mgr. Sclla
in Engiand--at the English court, in fact-with
Mgr Persico's visit to Ireland. to the adva ntage
of neither in popular estimation. No pretense
that papal 81 mpathy with Ireland is the prnci
pal motive in sending envoy to that country
conceal the fact that the mission in itself
shows the existence at Rome of feeling of dis
trust of the Irish prelates. whose conduct and
policy Mgr. Persico is sent to investigate; and,
apart from the opinions of English Catholics,
and the hopes of the Unionists, papal interfer
ence in ireland portends evil for the hom e-rule
cause.
The Economist sees in the presence of
special papsl envoy in Ireland evidence Of the
fact that the relations of the Pope and the Cath
olic Church in Ireland are approaching a crisis
of the gravest political Importance. If the pa
pacy intervenes TO coerce the clergy into holding
themselves wholly aloof from active,
tacit support of the national cause immense
majority of the home-rulers being fervent
Catho lies, will shrink from open quarrel with
Rome and allow the Pope 10 decide the question
in beh alf of civilized order. and the National
League will receive blow from which it will
never recover This language abundantly justi-
fes the anxiety of the Parnellites over Mgr.
Persicos mission, which it would have been
much wiser had the Vatican never engaged in.
Distrust of the presence in England of special
representative of the Pope kept the Irish mem
bers away from Cardinal Manning's reception in
honor of Mgr. Scila. All of them were invited,
but few accepted the invitation, and still fewer
attended, after first sgnfying their intention TO
be present. At time when English Catholic
Tories intriguing more actively than at any
period in the history OF the United Kingdom to
influence the Vatican against the aspirations of
the Irish Nationaists, the Parnellites deemed it
best to refrain from honorng a special envoy of
the Holy See to the English ourt.
REprJN lima dispatch from Roma tn
the Germania says that Mgr. Persico's mission
to Ireland is due to the Pope's desire, after de
ciining in terfere In Irish affairs to give Eng
land proof of his good will. The same dis
patch says that the absence of English Catholics
from the jubilee services in Westminster Abbey
the Propaganda.
1t is reported that Persico's departure for Ire
land has been postponed.